Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, an intense Western starring Benedict Cumberbatch, leads this year’s Oscar nominations with 12.
It is closely followed by Dune, which has 10, and Belfast and West Side Story, which have seven each.
Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch and Andrew Garfield are among the UK nominees in the lead acting categories.
Dame Judi Dench and Ciarán Hinds are nominated for their supporting roles in Sir Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast.
His autobiographical black-and-white film about a family in Northern Ireland during The Troubles is one of 10 films in the running for best picture.
Sir Kenneth, who is also nominated for best director, said in a statement: “It’s a long way from the streets of Belfast to the Academy Awards.
“Today, I think of my mother and father, and my grandparents – how proud they were to be Irish, how much this city meant to them. They would have been overwhelmed by this incredible honour – as am I.
“Given a story as personal as this one, it’s a hell of a day for my family, and the family of our film. I thank Academy voters for their incredible and generous recognition.”
Sir Kenneth becomes the first person to be nominated in seven different Oscar categories throughout his career. He already has director, actor, supporting actor, adapted screenplay and live action short nominations, but can now add best original screenplay and best picture. He is yet to win, however.
With her nomination, Jane Campion becomes the first woman to have been nominated for best director twice, having been recognised for The Piano in 1993.
Her film, The Power of the Dog, is a slow and suspenseful western which also scored nominations for three of its supporting actors – Jesse Plemons, Kodi Smit-McPhee and Kirsten Dunst. (BBC)
